The girls lacrosse scene this week revolves around whether Arrowhead can pull off an unimaginable four-peat this weekend by winning their fourth consecutive Wisconsin Lacrosse Federation state championship.
But upstart Whitefish Bay/Nicolet/Shorewood (WNS) has a long memory. And after taking the mighty Warhawks to the brink in the final game of the 2016 season, the Wolfpack earned a rematch with Arrowhead when it defeated University School of Milwaukee (USM), 8-4, in a semifinal game Wednesday night. It’s the second time in WSN’s three-year existence the Wolfpack has made it to the title game.
WNS (17-0) put the pressure on USM (16-4) right from the start, scoring just 24 seconds into the game and dropping another goal within the next 3 minutes of the first half. The Wolfpack added a third unanswered goal before the Wildcats got on the board. WNS took a 4-1 lead into halftime and never looked back.
“We got off to a really good start when we looked downfield and found an open cutter off the crease and was able to put it in the back of the net,” WNS coach Meredith Donaldson said.
Senior middie Izzi Mandli led the Wolfpack with three goals and an assist. Freshman middie Lauren Flemma added two goals and two assists for WNS , junior attack Landry Elliot scored two goals and an assist, as well.
WNS had to keep the USM offense at bay without the services of one of the Wolfpack’s top defenders. Sophomore Lauren Lex sat out the semifinal game after getting banged up in the quarterfinal match with Mukwonago. However, sophomore Abbe Hansen stepped in admirably for Lex, and Donaldson said WNS didn’t miss a step as a result.
“It’s [Hansen’s] first year on varsity, and she came in and did an absolutely phenomenal job,” Donaldson said. “She did everything expected of her and more to get us a nice win.”
WNS will meet Arrowhead in the state title game at Carroll University’s Schneider Stadium in Waukesha Friday at 7 p.m. When the teams met May 23, the Wolfpack won, 12-8.
